Tribute
by ttfan111robstar1
Summary: On her wedding day, Misa pays tribute to the first man she ever loved. Her dad.


The wedding reception was in full swing. She and Light had had their first dance, him spinning her effortlessly on the dance floor. It was the Cinderella-at-the-ball moment she'd dreamed of her entire life. Surrounded by their friends, his family, she'd felt so very at home. Wrapped in his arms, her favorite place to be, she'd felt so in love, so safe, so cared for.

When their first dance ended, she let go of him, and allowed him free from her grasp. The music changed to a slow waltz, and he took his mother's hand for their dance together. A slow song gave Misa a chance to appreciate the beauty of the ballroom they were in now. It also gave her a moment to reflect on the magnitude of all she'd lost.

She wished her parents were here to see this. Her mother and father would be so happy to see her this happy. She'd made sure to have two empty seats in the front row at the ceremony for them, so that they could symbolically be there to share in this joyous moment in her life. She'd saved two seats at the reception for them, too. So they wouldn't miss out on the festivities. Light, mercifully, had completely understood why she wanted to do so, and supported her in that. A sliver of her consciousness, however small, wondered if it was because it was proof of what Violent crime could cause, and showed that Kira was avenging those victims, but she didn't want to think about that. Not today.

As he spun with his mother on the dance floor, Light caught a glance at his wife. She looked so overjoyed, and he was glad for that, but he also caught the longing glances she gave the two chairs they'd put by the head of the table. He could see that she was hurting for her parents. That she wished they were there. She would always hurt like that because of the man who killed them. But _he_ was happy to honor them today. Because in a way, it honored him. Because it had been he who brought their killer to justice.

He looked at his mother, who had hardly stopped crying through the whole ceremony, and looked so happy and proud of him. He couldn't imagine being without both of his parents. He was happy that he still had his mom and Sayu, though he wished his dad were here to see this moment. Misa was probably feeling the same way about her dad.

And Light was right.

She missed him terribly, and that was why she had prepared a special tribute to him in lieu of a father-daughter dance. When Light and Sachiko had finished their dance, Misa got up on the stage where the DJ was set up. A microphone stand was set up, as was a projector at the back of the room. She was going to sing for him.

"Thank you everyone." She said, and a hush fell over the crowd. "Most of you that know me know that my parents were killed several years ago. I wanted to pay tribute to them today in many ways. They had seats saved at the ceremony, and here at the reception hall. And right now, I wanted to talk about my Dad." She said, and smiled. "He was so funny and kind. He had such an incredible laugh that I couldn't help laughing myself when he did, even if I didn't know what was funny. He used to take me to pick flowers, and he liked putting one behind my ear. So I wanted to sing a song for him today, because if he was here right now, this would be our dance."

She waited until the projector had been cued up, before she had the music start. She used the microphone stand to anchor herself against her emotions, and began to sing.

_"__Yes I'm gonna stay with him tonight_

_I'll see you in the mornin'_

_No of course, he won't drink and drive_

_Can you say bye to mom for me?_

_Oh you'll like him, he's really kind_

_And he's funny like you sometimes_

_And I found someone I really like_

_Maybe for the first time_

__A series of home movies began to play on the projector behind her, depicting moments with her and her father.

_No I don't need a jacket_

_It's not that cold tonight_

_And you worry, I get it_

_But he's waiting outside_

Her father, smiling and bouncing her in his arms as a baby. Her father, tickling her as a toddler, and her squealing.

_I swear on my heart_

_That he's a good man_

_I know you'll stay up late_

_Just waiting for me_

_You held me so tight_

_Now someone else can_

_But you were the first man that really loved me_

Her father, offering her flowers for valentines day, and dancing with a four year old version of herself on his shoes.

_Now you're driving to the airport_

_Not just me you pick up anymore_

_I've got eight days off coming up_

_And I can only come home for four_

Her father, grinning at the camera, as she talked to him, and wrapped him in a hug.

_Yeah I just met his family_

_They're just like you and mom_

_He makes me really happy_

_I think he might be the one, oh_

Her and her father on camera, playing cards and laughing.

_I swear on my heart_

_That he's a good man_

_I promise he loves me_

_He'd never hurt me_

_You held me so tight_

_Now someone else can_

_But you were the first man that really loved me_

_Now you're on the driveway_

_Faking a smile_

_You wish you could tell him he doesn't deserve me_

_So I had to stop the car and turn around_

_To tell you you were the first man that really loved me_

The two of them, in matching mickey ears at Disneyland Tokyo the year before he passed, sharing a tight hug.

_And before they open up the doors_

_I say I've never seen you cry before_

_You say "You've never looked so beautiful_

_You know you'll always be my little girl"_

A pause in the video, blank for a second, and then, as she sang the next verse, the most beautiful part of the video.

_You're looking at me, we're walking down the aisle_

_With tears in your eyes, maybe he deserves me_

_You don't even know how much it means to me now_

_That you were the first man that really loved me_

Herself at age seven, dressed in a white gown, playing wedding. Her father, holding her hand to walk her down the aisle.

_Oh, that really loved me, oh_

_You really love me…"_

The last note hung in the air, washing over the crowd like surf. A tear went down her cheek as she finished, and as she looked out into the sea of faces, there was not one dry eye in all of them. She wiped the tear from her own eye, thankful she had worn waterproof mascara today so it didn't run down her face.

Then, the uproar of applause. She smiled, despite her tears. "Thank you."

Light offered his bride a hand, and helped her down from the stage. He wrapped his arms around her, and gave her a kiss.

"I think he heard you." Light said to her.

She nodded, and glanced up at the chairs reserved for her parents, sun glowing on them.

For just a second, two figures seemed to fill them, smiling. Misa grinned when she saw it.

Her parents had come after all.


End file.
